By: fallen angel

The Grand Palace (Thai: พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang) is a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century.

Source Wikipedia

If you ever stop by Bangkok, Grand Palace is a place you would not want to miss. Tonnes of picture opportunities!

The mythological giant yak, some sort of a guardian to the Thai culture.

Look at the structure, impressive.

Within the palace complex are several impressive buildings including Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), which contains the small, very famous and greatly revered Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century. The robes on the Buddha are changed with the seasons by HM The King of Thailand, and forms an important ritual in the Buddhist calendar. Thai Kings stopped living in the palace around the turn of the twentieth century, but the palace complex is still used to mark all kinds of other ceremonial and auspicious happenings.

Source: Wikipedia

What do you think? Kinda creepy if you ask me.

There are hallways with paintings. This is one of them, and the paintings tell a story.

On the way out…

Chakri Mahaprasad Throne Hall in Grand Palace.

The Grand Palace complex sits on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The other approaches to the palace are protected by a defensive wall of 1,900 metres in length.

There are different types of boats you can take at the pier. Some are tourist boats with a guide and some are for locals. All at different prices. We took the local boat, it’s just like taking the train. There’s a map provided and you can just stop at whichever pier you wanted to get off at…………………

You can see people using the boats to travel up and down the river.

This is our stop Tha Tien. From here we are taking another boat across the river. Ya the boat just moves across the river which cost about 3.5 baht per person (about 35 cents).

This is Wat Arun, better known as the Temple of Dawn.

The outstanding feature of Wat Arun is its central prang (Khmer-style tower). Steep steps lead to the two terraces. The height is reported by different sources as between 80 m and 86 m. The corners are surrounded by 4 smaller satellite prangs. The prangs are decorated by seashells and bits of porcelain which had previously been used as ballast by boats coming to Bangkok from China. Around the base of the prangs are various figures of ancient Chinese soldiers and animals.

Source Wikipedia

You can see the Grand Palace from Wat Arun and that’s Chao Phraya river.

I enjoy all the sight seeing when i was in Bangkok. Their architecture is exquisite. Now i understand why some of their shows are impressive just like their buildings and its details.

When you hear Khao San Road in Bangkok people will know it’s a backpackers’ paradise. Also from the scene The Beach when Leonardo Dicaprio went to town to buy supplies back to the island. Khao San means raw rice in Thai. Back in the days the street was a major rice market for Bangkok.

We ate at this unique cafe. Ya it’s a cafe full of antique stuff.

I forgot what my friend ordered but it came with a teddy bear rice. Isn’t it cute!?

Flight of the gibbon is one of the roadblock in the Amazing Race Asia season 2. Too bad we didn’t have time or else we would have tried it.

We also saw some old books and old back packs. If anyone wants to sell something or buy some used stuff your most welcome

Along the road there are lot’s of lodges and hostel for people to stay. The accommodation varies from ‘mattress in a box’ style hostels, to full Western-standard luxury.

In case you run out of clothes just like us, the t shirts and dresses are very affordable. You will have to know how to bargain, the opening price is always higher than it is.

Khao San Road has developed over the years into probably the most profound worldwide example of a “backpackers’ ghetto”, with relatively cheap accommodation compared to other areas of central Bangkok.

Crafts, paintings, clothes, pirate CDs, DVDs, fake educational diplomas, fake driver’s licenses, food, second hand books as well as many items useful to backpackers are among the common goods traded along the road.

Source wiki

Isn’t it cute? a tuk tuk hung on top.

Would you have a facial here?

Interesting counter

I wonder how many beer bottles are hung up there?

What a big Durex ad in case anyone forgot. Be sure to have safe sex

We were walking by and we saw a drunk guy lying on the sidewalk. I think it’s a cop that’s trying to ask him to get up.

Walking distance from Khao San road, stands the Democracy Monument.

By the way did you know that in Thailand, Ronald McDonald is in a sawadee position. Putting the hands together as if in prayer and nod slightly, saying sawasdee or more politely, sawasdee-krap to a man and sawasdee-ka to a lady. The nearest translation of sawasdee is probably “Greetings.” It can mean “hello,” “good morning,” “good afternoon,” “good evening,” or “good-bye.”

Source Geocities

I was a little disappointed i didn’t get to see any stalls selling fried bugs and insects. My friend and i thought that we can be adventurous and perhaps try some fried bugs. We’re open to it

Till next time…